Fear, shame prevent undocumented Asian immigrants from finding legal help

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Podcasts Take Two

Aug 11, 2014

Listen • 4:32

Fear, shame prevent undocumented Asian immigrants from finding legal help

Many illegal immigrants are coming from Asia, and some them say it's hard to be open about their status, which causes problems when it comes to seeking help.

Betty Hung (far left in green cap), policy director for the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, said there are "more immigrants coming from Asia to California than from anywhere else in the world.” Thousands of people in favor of immigration rights are expected to march on Washington, D.C. Wednesday.

Many illegal immigrants are coming from Asia, and some them say it's hard to be open about their status, which causes problems when it comes to seeking help.

Immigration news has lately has focused on the unaccompanied minors crossing into the US illegally from Central America. However, of all the immigrants who have come here illegally, it turns out many are coming from Asia - about 1.3 million in all.

Some of these Asian immigrants say it's hard to be open about their status. And, as Southern California Public Radio's Josie Huang discovered, that's causing problems when it comes to seeking legal help.